


Deserving Better

by LuxLouise



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Best Friends, F/M, Fairs, Ferris Wheel, Fluff, Pining, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25383502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuxLouise/pseuds/LuxLouise
Summary: On a trip to the states with his friends, Remus Lupin is confronted with something he has buried deep inside
Relationships: Remus Lupin/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 14
Kudos: 17
Collections: Marauders on Tour





	Deserving Better

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Marauders_on_Tour](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Marauders_on_Tour) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Stuck on a Ferris Wheel at a fairground.
> 
> This was such a fun fest to write for! 
> 
> Thanks to my beta for her incredible work!

The smell of corn dogs, funnel cakes, and sweat burned Remus' nose. When James and Sirius had convinced him and Peter they should all go on a holiday after finishing Hogwarts and travel the Muggle way, he had been hesitant. Remus wasn't well off like the three of them, he didn't come from money and no one was likely to hire a werewolf, no matter that he graduated at the top of their class. James had footed the bill for their aeroplane ride across the pond and after a well placed  _ Confundus _ charm, they rented a car that, thankfully, Remus knew how to drive.

Spending their days driving all over the country and nights finding places to get roaring drunk, the Marauders were having the time of their lives. Sometime in June — they had all really lost track of how long they had been gone — James told the lads that the girls, Lily, Mary, and Marlene, would be joining them for the last leg of their trip. The moment Remus heard this, his stomach dropped. Some space from the girls had been one of the selling points for Remus. He needed some space, some time to get his head on straight. Hearing that Lily Evans would be joining them well, Remus wasn't sure how he would last.

It had started as a genuine friendship. The two studied together from the very start of their first year. She was the first one to figure out that he was a werewolf and had been instrumental in helping James, Sirius, and Peter achieve the animagus transformation. Soon, their standing study dates three times a week became the highlight of his life. He didn't dare tell the lads about the growing crush that started around fourth year. When James suddenly started showing an interest in the beautiful red haired Muggleborn, Remus was conflicted. No one had known about his feelings for Lily and he knew James was much more of a catch then he was but a small part of him was incredibly jealous. He knew that eventually, Lily would fall for the charms of one of his best mates. Coming to terms with the fact that he would never have her, Remus pushed the jealous, the resentment down as he watched James grow up and Lily fall in love.

He never blamed James. No one knew about his feelings so he couldn't be angry at anyone. It wasn't as though Lily had chosen James over himself. Watching them together now was only slightly painful. To make matters worse, he hadn't dated anyone seriously during his time at Hogwarts. A few Hogsmeade dates here and there, a purely sexual relationship for most of sixth year with Mary MacDonald that had ended when she had confessed her feelings for Peter. Marly and Sirius had been attached at the mouth since fifth year. Remus was alone and that was alright by him.

This trip had been their last chance to spend time as the Marauders, to just be eighteen before they began their real, adult lives. James and Sirius were starting at the Auror academy in August, Peter was heading to France to work on his Mastery in Potions, and Remus would be working at Flourish and Blotts, stocking shelves after closing, because no one wanted to hire a werewolf. James' father, Charlus had made noises about asking Remus to work for him as a research assistant in the Wizengamot but he hadn't heard from the older man. The girls coming for the end of the trip well, Remus had wanted a clean break from it all, not to be surrounded by happy couples.

The girls had met them in Oklahoma and joined them at the Oklahoma State Fair. They had been in the heat all day, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of middle America. They had stayed as a group most of the day, laughing when Sirius and Peter decided to climb into an enclosed ball that would sling-shot them into the sky right after gorging themselves on fairy floss, Muggle beer, and turkey legs. Remus had four deep-fried Oreos while the girls had their picture drawn by a caricature artist. As night fell, they were all exhausted but Lily and Marlene wanted to end the night with a ride on the light-up ferris wheel. James and Peter had ran off to ride the slingshot ride again so Remus agreed to ride with Lily, his heart hammering in his chest.

Marlene, Sirius, and Mary climbed into one cart, leaving Remus and Lily to get into the next one, just the two of them. She sat down next time him, looking around as the ride began to move. Lily had always smelled like strawberries, ink, and chocolate. Remus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, drinking in the scent that he had been enamoured with since he was fourteen years old. When he opened his eyes, he found Lily staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Why did you never make a move on me, Remus?" Lily asked him quietly.

Panicking internally, he tried to scoot away from her. "What-what are you talking about?" he asked, knowing she would see right through him; she always had.

"You've been distant since you and Mary ended things. You don't ever seem to let us be alone together. I've seen you staring at me, scowling at James when he acts like a prat. Why did you never ask me out?"

"You deserve better than I can give you," Remus told her quietly, he held up a hand when she started to interrupt. "It's true and you know it. James can give you the world, Lils. You deserve it. He loves you so damn much and I would never come in between the two of you, I love you both too much for that. I'm content to be your best friend, Uncle Moony when you start to have the next generation of Marauders."

Lily stared at him, a hard look to her beautiful, emerald green eyes before she leaned toward him, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. Remus froze, his mind going blank in an instant. Just as suddenly, she pulled back and smiled at him.

"Why?" He whispered.

"Because a part of me will always love you like I did when I was fourteen. You're a good man, Remus Lupin and you deserve happiness and love. I want you to promise me you'll find it. Promise me you'll take the job that Charlus is going to offer you when we get back home, you'll find a witch who thinks you hung the moon and you'll love her more than anything or anyone in the world."

He nodded at her and pulled her in for a hug, placing a gentle kiss in her hair.

"I'm glad James has you, no one else deserves you."

She sighed as she sat back against the cart, the ferris wheel stopping with them at the top.

"Everything will be different this time next week but we'll all always have each other," Lily said, looking around at the lights from the other rides. "You're my best friend too, you know?"

Remus smiled. "Good."


End file.
